# I have no idea if I got a deal or what.



## ezlevor (Oct 29, 2012)

Alright, I didn't think I'd ever make one of these threads because I know who to buy from if I ever decide to buy a box. These on the other hand were acquired by a family member who smokes cigars on the regular. He has a friend that they visit who lives in Florida who routinely orders CCs and he let me in for a 5er of these. I've had Diplimaticos that were got the same way, and they were great. Here's the issue. When he called me asking if I wanted some cubans I said sure, never asked what kind they were, and he quoted me a price that was about half of what Siglo VIs go for on the sources that I checked after getting them tonight. So I'm going to bombard you guys with some pictures and you tell me if anything screams fakes. I know I know... trust your source, but I don't know the original source, and this family member wouldn't knowingly buy fakes either. And if it came down to smoking one... I have no idea what a Cohiba Siglo VI should taste like since my cuban palate is not experienced at all.
































































The only things that make me nervous are the fact that I paid no where near where I should have for Siglo VIs, and the bottom of the band isn't cut completely straight. Let me know what you guys think. Maybe I just need to smoke a cigar and relax.


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## thebigk (Jan 16, 2013)

No hologram on the seal is not a good start and date stamp look odd


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

Well, that appears to be an old seal (1999-2009/2011) but the date code on the bottom says 2014. Suspect to say the least.


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## egoo33 (Jul 21, 2013)

Not an expert but I have never seen a stamp that big in block lettering


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

I don't think the C in Cuba should cross over like that either. I'm saying fakes


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## Engineer99 (Aug 4, 2011)

From my limited experience the seal looks wrong. I've gotten a couple of '14 boxes and there's a hologram on the seal and I've never seen a date stamp that looks like that.


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## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

Something is amuck. I dont know about any older seals but I can tell you with a surety that the seal that is on it is not from 2014. The other thing is the spacing of the white squares or black lines (depending on how you see it) is not symmetrical. I just looked at every stick I have and the spacing is meticulously symmetrical with even distance all the way down. The sample pic above shows a thicker black line at the top.

Im no expert but with very little inspection I was suspect quick.


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## egoo33 (Jul 21, 2013)

Looking at the band closer it looks like the C in Cuba is pierced through as well, smoke it see how it treats you but it looks suspect


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## protekk (Oct 18, 2010)

Sorry Erik but as everyone else has said..... these are fake. The biggest sign to me is what Layne said old seal and 2014 code. Also LIN is not a known factory code.


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## Cigar-Enthusiast (Feb 2, 2014)

protekk said:


> Sorry Erik but as everyone else has said..... these are fake. The biggest sign to me is what Layne said old seal and 2014 code. Also LIN is not a known factory code.


I would listen to the master!

They are definitely fake. The biggest give away to me is the incorrect triple cap. Here is an example of some good caps for future reference. In my limited experience the cap is a good way to judge the whether it is a legitimate Cohiba or not. Furthermore if the deal is too good to be true than it definitely is. No one can sell sticks for less than Habanos sells them to distributors.


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## ezlevor (Oct 29, 2012)

Meh, I'm not out too much. I just about knew it as soon as I saw what they were for the price. I wasn't expecting any Cohibas for $7 a pop, and like I said, he never said what brand they were when he texted me. Just wanted to make sure. Probably won't let the guy I got them from know either... 

Thanks guys!

On the bright side, I now have a nice box that at least doesn't have a glass top!


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## jp1979 (Sep 12, 2013)

Agree with what's been said as well that is definitely and older seal. For future reference, there is a site you can go to that shows you all of the different seals codes etc. I use that site a whole bunch. I just can't think of the name of it.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

ezlevor said:


> Meh, I'm not out too much. I just about knew it as soon as I saw what they were for the price. I wasn't expecting any Cohibas for $7 a pop, and like I said, he never said what brand they were when he texted me. Just wanted to make sure. Probably won't let the guy I got them from know either...
> 
> Thanks guys!
> 
> On the bright side, I now have a nice box that at least doesn't have a glass top!


You don't have to let him know what?
He already knows he stole your money when he sold you the fakes!
Now he will just keep asking you if you want more.
If you say nothing the friend that sold them to the family member will think your all stupid!
With friends like that who needs enemies!
Not only would i tell him i would demand my money back!
The family member you speak of and the friend may also all be ignorant/innocent in all of this!
Wouldn't you want to inform them?


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## ezlevor (Oct 29, 2012)

First of all, no one stole my money. I'm 3 people removed from the source and it's simply a calculated risk I was willing to take as it is with any order you would place through a vendor that might not get through customs. I'm simply going to let them enjoy their cigars because my $35 is not worth disappointing them, and making my brother's father in law feel bad for selling me fakes when he didn't even know it. 

I'll be ordering my own and sharing with him anyway. I'd much rather do that.


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## pmr1010 (Jul 13, 2013)

In your situation I would keep it to myself as well. No need to ruin someone else's day if they think they got real cigars. I've had a couple of fakes that were actually not bad.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

WOW My Bad!
I guess ignorance truly is bliss!
Best of luck!


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## Rock31 (Sep 30, 2010)

ezlevor said:


> First of all, no one stole my money. I'm 3 people removed from the source and it's simply a calculated risk I was willing to take as it is with any order you would place through a vendor that might not get through customs. I'm simply going to let them enjoy their cigars because my $35 is not worth disappointing them, and making my brother's father in law feel bad for selling me fakes when he didn't even know it.
> 
> I'll be ordering my own and sharing with him anyway. I'd much rather do that.


I would definitely let your family know they are fakes, what is going to stop them from keeping buying them from this source? You now know and won't buy again but what if they keep going back?


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## Rock31 (Sep 30, 2010)

ezlevor said:


> First of all, no one stole my money. I'm 3 people removed from the source and it's simply a calculated risk I was willing to take as it is with any order you would place through a vendor that might not get through customs. I'm simply going to let them enjoy their cigars because my $35 is not worth disappointing them, and making my brother's father in law feel bad for selling me fakes when he didn't even know it.
> 
> I'll be ordering my own and sharing with him anyway. I'd much rather do that.


And I have to disagree, the source stole your money.


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## Cigar-Enthusiast (Feb 2, 2014)

pmr1010 said:


> In your situation I would keep it to myself as well. No need to ruin someone else's day if they think they got real cigars. I've had a couple of fakes that were actually not bad.


I would definitely not recommend to keep it yourself. That is highly unethical because fakes do not have quality control. Thus they can better whatever garbage in your sticks they wish. It's not a matter of ruining someone's day, but of safety. Now I'm not saying all fakes are dangerous because there are some very high quality reproductions, but why chance it?

You should do the right thing and inform your in-law of the fakes. You are doing him a favor in the long run. Even if he does get mad, he will eventually come around and thank you.


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## MDSPHOTO (Sep 10, 2013)

ezlevor said:


> Meh, I'm not out too much. I just about knew it as soon as I saw what they were for the price. I wasn't expecting any Cohibas for $7 a pop, and like I said, he never said what brand they were when he texted me. Just wanted to make sure. Probably won't let the guy I got them from know either...
> 
> Thanks guys!
> 
> On the bright side, I now have a nice box that at least doesn't have a glass top!


I've never ordered myself, but i thought most reputable dealer, I know thats an oxymoron since they are mailing contraband, will resend if it gets caught up in customs?


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## Perfecto Dave (Nov 24, 2009)

Friends don't let friends smoke fakes. Now that you know, if you don't speak up, it's a not a good thing.....IMO.


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## Perfecto Dave (Nov 24, 2009)

MDSPHOTO said:


> I've never ordered myself, but i thought most reputable dealer, I know thats an oxymoron since they are mailing contraband, will resend if it gets caught up in customs?


If you do your research you'll find the good ones usually do.


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## pmr1010 (Jul 13, 2013)

It sounded to me like the OP was concerned that the person he got them from might be upset that he was involved in supplying fakes. My thought is that if the person that got them initially didn't complain why should the OP. It could also create a strain in their relationship if the friend felt like they were authentic. My .02 as I've been there and can understand.

Depending on the situation and the specific relationship the money isn't worth the harm caused in a relationship.


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## ezlevor (Oct 29, 2012)

If my brother's father in law was the original buyer, then yeah I'd probably tell him. Since I'm so far down the line I don't feel like it's my place. Him and I go back and forth with each other with beer and cigars anyway so it'll all come around. No intention to offend Tony. 

Plus, I'm pretty sure he sees this friend once a year and doesn't even get cigars every time he sees him. So in the grand scheme of things it's really not a huge issue. I'll just make sure that the next CCs he gets are from me and I know where they're coming from. 

Now, the real question is what cigar to smoke after I finish the tough mudder tomorrow!


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## Cigar-Enthusiast (Feb 2, 2014)

ezlevor said:


> If my brother's father in law was the original buyer, then yeah I'd probably tell him. Since I'm so far down the line I don't feel like it's my place. Him and I go back and forth with each other with beer and cigars anyway so it'll all come around. No intention to offend Tony.
> 
> Plus, I'm pretty sure he sees this friend once a year and doesn't even get cigars every time he sees him. So in the grand scheme of things it's really not a huge issue. I'll just make sure that the next CCs he gets are from me and I know where they're coming from.
> 
> Now, the real question is what cigar to smoke after I finish the tough mudder tomorrow!


I just had a Bolivar Petit Corona and I don't have anything negative to say about it! Think it's my new favorite stick. 
The only thing that went through my mind is why I didn't go to the dark side sooner...


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## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

I'm with the opinion you should let them know they are not authentic. You don't have to call them fakes. If that act has an negative impact on the relationship then its not a relationship at all. If it was me I would appreciate knowing so I wouldn't go to that source anymore and consider it valuable feedback.

Personally I'm a straight up person and appreciate others who are straight up with me. Deception by omission is still deception and speaking specifically for myself I would actually think less of a person who knew better but didn't say and let me continue to screw up without so much as a word. Now that would be a strain on a relationship for me. Kinda like letting your so called friend approach a girl he has the hots for with a booger hanging out of his nose and not telling him with the reasoning that she was going to reject him anyhow so ignorance is bliss.


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## Damselnotindistress (Aug 7, 2011)

I can sort of sympathize with the reluctance here to confront this person about the fakery here. I, myself, had received what were supposed to be RyJ Celestial Finos Habanos (before they were discontinued) from a legitimate source where it turned out if they weren't Mexican cigars with dark San Andreas wrappers then glass top Esplendidos are highly desired. But the guy in charge of the place, number one, had been so good to me through the years that I would rather have pepper sprayed myself than tell him; but also I'm convinced these HAD to have been sent to me from another source he may not have been aware of, and then have had to go through a number of changes not for the better if he did. I can hear Tony Brooklyn and the rest of you going, "So WHAT!? That's EXACTLY what needs to happen!" But under the circumstances I just chose to spare him the embarrassment of the whole affair. I just chalked it up to it's being a case of whoever he had send these must have figured this old, pedestrian Mama in northern Kentucky won't know any better...probably doesn't know a LE from a EL as in "Producto". Again, my ears are buzzing with the fuming protests you experienced veterans are itching to tell me - but this was how I chose to handle the situation. Sometimes we ARE between a rock and a hard place in trying to spare some folks' feelings and peace of mind. Okay, well let's hear the, "Oh yeah - well yelling to the residents that the house is on fire might up end some folks' peace of mind too!!!"


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)




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## Damselnotindistress (Aug 7, 2011)

TonyBrooklyn said:


>


 :kiss: *sniff* *sniff* Thank you, Tony!


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Damselnotindistress said:


> :kiss: *sniff* *sniff* Thank you, Tony!


:humble:

:grouphug: eace:


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## gtechva (Mar 9, 2014)

I would hate to be in your shoes on this one. I'm sure which ever way you handle it will be OK. Good luck. I appreciate the fact you recognize sometimes the relationship is worth more than the money.


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